Railway sleeping-car



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. PEARSON. RAILWAY SLEEPING GAR.

No. 534,756. Patented Feb. 26, 1895.;

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H. PEARSON.

RAILWAY SLEEPING OAR. No. 534,756. Patented Feb. 26, 1895.

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RAILWAY SLEEPING-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,756, dated February 26, 1895.

Application filed January 14, 18951 Serial No. 534,821. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, HENRY PEARSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway Sleeping-Oars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention for improvements in railway sleeping cars consists in the combination with the vertically movable berths and the means for hoisting and lowering them, which comprises an operating rotary shaft, of devices applied in a convenient place for access in the car for normallylocking such shaft against rotation, but capable of action to permit the rotational movement of the shaft, as desirable or necessary.

Theimprovements are fully illustrated, described, and set forth in the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims. 1

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional and perspective view of the car showing the berth pocket, the berths raised thereabove, and the locking device comprised as apart of, or combined with, the berth hoisting mechanism. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on a largerscale showing a portion of the op erating shaft of the hoisting mechanism, and

the locking device therefor as in its locked position; Fig. 3 is a view substantially similar to Fig. 2 but showing the parts of the locking device asin its position of disengagement to permit the free turning of the operating shaft. Fig. 4 is a plan view of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5-5, Fig. 2.

The car-body has, at either side, the berthpocket, A, in which the berths may be disposed, and out from which they may be elevated. Each berth is elevated by the cables, a,a, which are connected to the winding-drum, B, B, and thence pass to connection with the berths, they having, intermediately, suitable guiding and supporting connections with sheaves therefor, located for instance as shown at b, d. Each drum is gear-toothed, as seen at f, and has, engaging therewith, a gearwheel, g, which is as one with a sprocketwheel, it, around which runs asprocket-chain,

i, that has an engagement around another sprocket-wheel,-j,-which is mounted about a fixed verticalaxis,- at a location transversely and horizontally removed from, and outside of, the berth-pocket toward the center of the car and under the flooring. This mechanism, as thus briefly described, constitutes no part of this invention, it being fully illustrated, described, and claimed in an application for patent which I filed December 31, 189;, under Serial No. 533,434.

The operating-shaft, D, connected to the sprocket-wheel, j, and coincident with the vertical axis about which it rotates, has its extension upwardly through the car flooring withinabushing or casing, 0, set therewithin. The casing, C, which may be of cast iron, is of a generally cylindrical form, having the open top, the outlying circular flange, m, and the bottom, n, with the central aperture, 12 The case is constructed internally of varying diameters at different parts whereby there are formed the shoulders, 10 and 12. The upwardly opening orifice ot' the case is screwthreaded, as seen at 13. V

In the bottom of the case, 0, is a hardened ring, 0, which constitutesaball-bearing raceway. A ring, 19, with the internal teeth, 19, is set Within the case, it resting on the shoulder seat, 12, therefor. The said operating shaft, D, is let down through the case, to the connection with the sprocket-wheeLj, said shaft having the squared upper extremity, 15, r

and the approximately conical enlargement, 16, next therebelow, between which and the hardened ring are the balls 17.

Around the upper squared end of the operating shaft, D, and within the upper part of the casing, is loosely fitted the cylindrical piece, q, with the square axial aperture, 20, this having at its lower portion the series of outwardly projecting teeth, 22, which match with the teeth, 19, inwardly projecting from the internal wall of the case (as constituted, specifically, by the serrated inner edge of the ring, 19). For practicability and preference of construction, the teeth are provided upon the vertically movable cylindrical part, q, by

being made in the separate ring, t, which ring is shrunk, or otherwise attached, upon ICO hoisting-mechanism, having the squared or equivalent formed upper extremity, and the casing, 0, having internal projections, or teeth, a part adapted for a clutch-like orlocking engagement within and with the case, and which, moreover, has a sliding, though nonrotatable engagement with the shaft, and which may be moved downwardly on the shaft so as to force the said part, q, against the retracting spring therefor, so far downwardly as to carry it out of its clutch engagement with the toothed part, or appliance, of the casin g whereby, by the wrench, m, or other suitable implement, the shaft may be turned in either direction; and it is of course apparent that the implement which turns the shaft does, preparatory to the turning, effect, by its mere downward force, the establishment of the conditions whereby the shaft may be thereby turned.

The shoulder, 10, is regarded asa desirable provision in the casing, as serving to limit the sliding part, q, against undue downward movement; and, furthermore, it is understood that when the berth has been fully, or partially, hoisted, by allowing the part, q, to rise to its clutch engagement, the berth cannot then have any movement, either to descend or rise further except as purposed and permitted by again pressing the sliding part, q, downwardly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a railway sleeping-car, the combination with the operating shaft of the berthhoisting mechanism and the casing within which the upper end of said shaft projects, said casing being provided with internal projections; of a part adapted to have a clutch engagement within said case and having asliding, though non-rotatable, engagement with the shaft and movable along the shaft, whereby it may be freed from its clutch engagement, thereby permitting it and the shaft to be rotated, substantially as described.

2. In a railway sleeping-car, the combination with a berth-hoisting mechanism comprising the operating shaft therefor having the squared upper end,of the casing, C,having the apertured bottom and open top with the threaded orifice, the ring fixedly set in the case with the inwardly projecting teeth, the cylindrical part, q, with the squared hole havin g a sliding engagement over the squared end of the shaft and provided with the toothed ring,,t, the elevating spring and the threaded ring, to, screwing into the upper open end of the casing and limiting the upward movement of the said part, q,substantially as described.

3. In a railway sleeping-car, the combination with the operating shaft of the berthhoisting mechanism and the casing within which the upper end ofsaid shaft projects,

said casing being provided with internal projections; of a part adapted to have a clutch engagement within said case and having a sliding, though non-rotatable, engagement with the shaft and movable along the shaft,

whereby it may be'freed from its clutch engagement, thereby-permitting it and the shaft to be rotated, and a spring for normally maintaining the said movable part in clutch with the casing, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a railway sleeping-car, the combination with the hoisting mechanism for the berths comprising the operating shaft, D, having the squared or equivalent upper extremity and the enlargement, 16, of the casing, O, to be fitted in the car floor, constructed with an open top and a bottom with the aperture, 77?, and provided therein with the hardened ring, 0, between which and said shaft enlargement are comprised the balls, 17, the toothed ring, 19, set within a seat therefor in the casing, the part, (1, having a sliding fit about the squared extremity of the operating shaft and having the toothed ring, if, affixed thereto, the elevating spring, u, applied between the shaft enlargement and said part, q, and the ring, to, screw-threading into-the open mouth of the casing and overhanging the teeth of said ring, 25, all substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

HENRY PEARSON. 

